When Crate Training Comes In Handy

 

 Even if they aren't used regularly, crates are a good tool if your dog is unpredictable, anxious or fearful around strangers and you suddenly need to let those strangers into your house. 

Both of my dogs spent a fair amount of time crated when I first adopted them (or in Boca's case, when I took her on as a foster dog). I don't believe dogs should be crated more than five hours at a time on a regular basis, but when introducing a puppy or new dog into a household, it is a temporary way to slowly introduce them to more freedom. Ruby quickly proved that she could be trusted home alone (I keep her in the gated kitchen/dining room so my senior cat can have the run of the rest of the house), and we pretty much abandoned the crate after the first few months. Ruby doesn't love her crate and never goes in it on her own if the door is left open.

Boca, on the other hand, seems to like her crate enough to sleep in it voluntarily sometimes, take comfort there during thunderstorms, and it's where I prefer her to go when I feed high-value, long-lasting chew treats like bully sticks, so that there are no quarrels between sisters. While she can also be trusted free in the house, I have continued to crate Boca in the mornings during the week, and she spends afternoons in the kitchen with Ruby. This arrangement works well and I think it gives them some quiet time apart from each other.

Recently I was reminded of a good reason to keep up with their crate training when I had to have some HVAC service people in the house. Despite her reactivity, Ruby has thus far been good about strangers coming to the house, but they have always been people I know and maybe that made a difference for her. She did not like the first repairman and I quickly realized she would need to be crated while he was there. Boca is fearful of strange men, particularly if they are wearing hats, sunglasses, or carrying things. I got them both safely secured, and although Ruby did a lot of whining, she did eventually settle down and chew a bully stick. We had to repeat the whole routine the following day to get another estimate.

The bad news is: I need a new furnace. Two installers will be at my house all day on Friday. I don't plan on crating the ginger sisters the entire time; in fact, it will be a perfect opportunity for me to work upstairs in my spare room and they can hang out there with me. Still, the whole experience prompted me to brush up on Ruby's crate skills, since I had to catch her and physically put her in the crate last week. She had obviously forgotten what 'go to your den' meant, and I saw it as a training opportunity.

Last night with the aid of the clicker and handfuls of smelly Only Natural Pet treats, I worked with both girls on their crate cue as well as waiting for release and staying with the crate door open. By the end of our session, Ruby and Boca were running excitedly to their dens. Ruby was laying down inside and waiting for the 'okay' before coming out. Hopefully this will make things easier the next time we need to unexpectedly utilize their crates.

WW 9.10.14: Endearing

The impossible-to-resist head tilt...

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Looking Ahead: Training Update and Goals

I've admittedly gotten quite lax with Ruby's training, and have been hesitant to post any sort of progress report because the truth is...we really haven't made a lot of progress, and I am seeing regression in some areas. The blame is entirely on me - I see results when I am consistent and dedicated, and I just haven't been. The summer seemed a bit hectic with an unexpected car purchase and hunting for a new barn for my horse, not to mention that there is more activity in my neighborhood with everyone enjoying the outdoors. Even my usual management methods have a higher rate of failure when there is a dog, a bike or a stroller around every corner. 

I feel like Ruby has gotten worse about dogs, although in the last few days we've had a couple of successes where she has for certain seen the dog, but I was able to make an exit without a spinning/lunging/barking meltdown. One of these instances was on our way to the vacant field and Ruby's "digging hill." There was someone with a medium-sized dog walking perpendicular to us about half a block away, and Ruby was so excited to go on a dirt-flinging binge that she couldn't have cared less. 

Trigger stacking is a very real issue for us, and I notice it particularly with cars. If we're having a quiet walk, cars can pass unnoticed. If Ruby has just seen another dog or several rabbits, the next car we see warrants a reaction. Luckily, although I live near a very busy street, my townhome complex is in a sheltered area where we can navigate a decent 30-40 minute walk on fairly quiet side-streets and alleys. 

The good news is that things are quieting down as the seasons change. School has resumed and I've already noticed a difference in the evenings - kids are inside doing homework instead of rolling down the sidewalk on razor scooters and skateboards.  Soon enough our evening walks will be in the dark again - not something I love, but distractions are definitely diminished. Now that Boca has a good foundation I can get back to splitting training time between both dogs.

New Goals 

• Continue Boca's training with focus on gradual exposure to more crowded/complex situations. I plan to take her to the farmers' market this weekend. 
• Look into Canine Good Citizen preparation classes for Boca
• Continue recall training with both dogs. Currently I'm able to call them away from barking downstairs with nearly 100% success. Consider long lines.
• Resume solo training walks with Ruby and counter-conditioning with people/cars. (dogs are still very difficult to CC in uncontrolled situations). I believe 2-3 times a week is realistic.
• Brush up on Ruby's tricks and apply for her Intermediate Trick Dog Title before the end of the year.
• Continue working on DRI with Ruby and rabbits. Currently I am asking for a "sit" and this works fairly well.
• Try the Calming Cap in the car with Ruby again.

There is never any shortage of stuff to work on with two smart dogs. Ruby is a complicated puzzle and Boca is a food-motivated goofball. They provide such a nice balance for me and I love seeing the ways their personalities contrast as their individual strengths shine. September and October are my favorite months in Colorado - they always feel so full of promise. I think it is the perfect time to re-dedicate myself to the ginger sisters' training.